


Of Horses and Heroes

by Lumelle



Category: Tangled (2010)
Genre: Babies, Childbirth, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-06
Updated: 2012-12-06
Packaged: 2017-11-20 11:11:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/584758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumelle/pseuds/Lumelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eugene is worried out of his mind while his first child is being born, while Maximus and Pascal think he's exaggerating. In the end, though, everything is better than fine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Horses and Heroes

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my December project, in which I post one chapter and one one-shot each day up until the 25th.

"I can't believe they just threw me out of there!"

Maximus snorted, apparently disagreeing with him about the necessity of his removal from the premises. Eugene would have nudged it in the ribs, but didn't relish the thought of the horse returning the favour.

"I mean, it's my kid, right? I've got every right to be there when it's born! Rapunzel said so, too!"

Pascal opened one eye where it had been napping on top of Max's head, glancing at him. The chameleon then crawled down Max's neck, coming to a halt on its back, and gave him a meaningful gaze.

"What? I just want to be there to support my wife! Not even you can't say I can't do that!"

Pascal pointed at him, then did something that looked mainly like a rather frenzied dance, waving all four legs in the air and wiggling its tail about. It was a small miracle it didn't fall right off Maximus' back. For a moment Eugene almost wondered if it was having some kind of a seizure, only for any kind of worry to disappear very quickly as Pascal paused and gave him a smug look.

"I did not flail like that."

Maximus snorted again and gave him a rather rude glare. Okay, so he and his opinion were obviously in the minority here, but that wasn't any reason to be so mean about it.

"Okay, so maybe I did flail a bit. But I'm calm now, aren't I? And besides, it wasn't any reason to send me off like that! Rapunzel was shouting more than I was!"

Maximus looked quite disbelieving. Eugene frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"How long does it take, anyway? They've been at it for hours. Babies aren't that big, right? It shouldn't take this long to make one."

Neither of the animals chose to give him an answer at that. Of course, this left him with little choice but to simply talk to himself. If anyone thought he looked a bit loopy, standing there muttering to himself next to the captain of the guard, that was their problem.

"Well, okay, so it's already been nine months of work, but all the same, you'd think the delivery wouldn't take quite so long. I just want to see my kid at last. Is that so much to ask? At least they should let me be there to offer my support! I'm sure I wouldn't flail that much this time. At least I'd do my best not to. And it's the thought that counts, right?"

Maximus gave a sound that made its opinion on that quite clear. Eugene chose to ignore such unenlightened views.

"It's my wife giving birth in there! My precious princess! And they sent me out of my own bedroom just because I got a little excited. There's absolutely no fairness in the world."

Pascal apparently thought this a good point to make a face at him. Eugene frowned and made one back at it. They continued the exchange of pulled faces and dirty glares until a strange gaze from a passing maid made Eugene stop.

He sighed and turned around, leaning his back against Maximus' side. At least the horse didn't kick him for that. "I can't believe I'm standing here arguing with a chameleon."

He knew even without looking that Pascal was sticking out its tongue. Frankly, he did not care what Pascal thought. All he cared about was receiving some news.

"They could at least send someone to update me every now and then. Or is there something they don't want to tell me?" As soon as he asked that, a horrible thought struck him. "Oh, no. That's why they sent me away, isn't it? Something's gone wrong." His eyes widened in horror. It all made sense now. "I mean, Rapunzel's mother got really sick, right? Maybe it runs in the family. Maybe she's sick, too, or hurt! Maybe somethings wrong with the baby, or --" A hoof nudged him sharply in the shin. Yelping, he turned to glare at Maximus. "Hey, can't I get any sympathy here?"

Maximus snorted again, then shook his big head. Eugene was about to argue, but then noticed that Max wasn't glaring at him anymore. Rather, his thought seemed almost compassionate.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to panic." Not that such things usually took much intent. "It's just, well. I'm worried, you know? Who knows what could be happening to Rapunzel while I'm standing out here with you two!"

Pascal climbed up to Maximus' head again, giving him a glare. It then repeated a part of its earlier flailing drama.

"Oh, it's easy for you to say." He paused. "Well, not say, but, well, you get what I mean. It's not your wife and kid who could be dying in there!"

Pascal rolled his eyes. It was quite the impressive gesture, given the size of its eyes. However, this quite failed to make him feel better.

Oddly enough, Maximus came to his rescue here, nudging Pascal with an ear. He then tilted his head toward Eugene. Pascal frowned but took then on a thoughtful expression. Then, with what Eugene could only describe as a shrug and a nod, it pointed at Eugene, then Maximus, and itself, and finally up toward the balcony of one of the royal bedrooms.

Well. He supposed it was a plan as good as any other.

Eugene hadn't known that horses could shimmy up pillars. In fact, he was fairly certain Maximus was the only horse capable of such a feat. What was less clear was whether this extraordinary talent was something innate to Maximus or came from the very sneaky-looking mask Pascal had tied around Max's head before they set to the mission.

Of course, it was also not a very good time to realise that he might have been better off climbing up first. If anything happened to make Max lose his miraculous skill right now, he'd be lucky to be a pancake.

Somehow, through some magic perhaps, Max managed to keep his grip until finally making his way over the edge of the balcony. Eugene had another moment of dread as he started to wonder if the balcony had been designed to bear quite that much weight, then decided that in case it failed to bear Maximus, his best bet was to climb up as soon as possible to get out of the danger zone. At least it was much better than clinging to the pillar like some kind of a deranged monkey.

He made his way up to the balcony at last, ignoring Pascal who was obviously making fun of him for not arriving earlier, and took a moment to get his bearings. The glass doors to the balcony were closed, with the curtains drawn, leaving him no way to catch a glimpse of what was going on inside. All he knew was that Rapunzel was in there, Rapunzel and her mother and a couple of nurses who had been quite firm in throwing him out.

Well. The worst they could do was throw him out again.

Drawing a deep breath, he glanced at Maximus and Pascal, receiving surprisingly encouraging nods from both. Opening one half of the doors, he paused to listen for any yelling or screams. As none appeared, he stepped closer, then drew the curtain aside, looking into the bedroom.

Things had apparently calmed down since he had been sent off several hours earlier. The nurses were gone for the moment, something Eugene was quite happy about; the older one had a mean right hook. The only ones left were the queen, sitting beside the bed, and Rapunzel, who was resting in said bed, exactly where Eugene had left her.

"Ah, Eugene." The queen turned to look at him and smiled. "We just sent for you, but I suppose I should have expected you to make your own way here."

"Ah, right." He felt somewhat sheepish now, stepping into the room. He heard Maximus walking closer as well, knowing that it stuck its head into the room after him, but couldn't bring himself to care right now. He walked carefully closer. "Everything, uh, all right?"

"Quite so." Rapunzel smiled at him, looking exhausted, but also absolutely divine. It wasn't until now that he noticed that she was holding something in her arms. "Come here, Eugene. There's someone I'd like to introduce you to."

Eugene swallowed, feeling almost shy all of a sudden. He walked closer, though, until he came to the side of the bed. As he did, his heart stopped for a moment, then started to beat at a wild rhythm.

In her arms, Rapunzel held a baby. Eugene had seen babies before, of course, but none quite as small, as delicate. Certainly none as beautiful, he decided as he leaned closer, not even daring to breathe. There was a bit of dark hair on top of the little head, and two tiny hands held close to the tiny little face.

"So beautiful," he breathed, his eyes fixed on the child as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Oh, Rapunzel..."

"Say hello to our son, Eugene." Rapunzel chuckled at his expression. "You look stunned."

"I kind of am." He supposed he could admit it for once. "Son? So... it's a boy?"

"We have it on good authority that he is, yes." The queen gave them a warm smile. "A healthy little prince."

"Our son." Eugene got close enough to reach his arm around Rapunzel. His Rapunzel, his beautiful wife, who had given him this even more beautiful child. "Does he have a name yet?"

"Not yet, no. I was quite hoping you would give him one." Rapunzel leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Really?" Eugene blinked. "You'd let me name him?"

"Yeah. Do you have any thoughts?" Rapunzel chuckled. "You don't have to come up with it right away. Take some time to think."

"Right." He shook his head then. "I mean, no. I don't need time to think." He hadn't considered it before, it hadn't even crossed his mind that he might have to name the child, but now that she mentioned it, it was crystal clear what he should choose. "There's an absolutely perfect name for a healthy little prince."

"Oh?" Rapunzel glanced at him. "Are you going to tell us what this perfect name is, or just let us guess?"

"Well, it's quite an important name for me." He smiled, looking down at their little son. "Technically, it's naming him after someone. Someone without whom neither of us would be here now. Heck, I'm not sure we would have even met without that particular hero."

"So?" She chuckled. "Don't make me guess now, Eugene. I want to know what to call my little prince."

"Yeah, well, I was just thinking." He paused. After all the hours they'd kept him waiting, she could take a few more seconds. "What would you say to prince Maximus?"

There was a loud thud from the balcony. Glancing over, he chuckled. He hadn't even known horses could faint like that. Hopefully Pascal had managed to get out of the way.

"Maximus, hmm?" Rapunzel looked down at the baby. "I think I like it. And you're right, it is quite the heroic name." It was probably for the best that Maximus had already fainted, or he would have done so again.

"So it's decided, then." He leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Our little son has a name now."

"That he does. Don't you, little Maximus?"

Eugene had seen Rapunzel countless times before. In fact, he'd done quite a lot of very focused watching. His wife was quite the beautiful woman, so he would have been a fool not to. However, he was fairly sure he had never seen her looking more breathtaking than right now as she smiled down at their slumbering little child, her hair still dishevelled and her eyes tired but oh so very happy.

He never noticed just when the queen left the room, spreading the word and starting the preparations for the inevitable festivities, or when Maximus recovered and made his way out of the balcony, presumably tiptoeing through the room just few feet from them. He wasn't even sure just when the king came by, though he must have been there, as someone had left a beautiful little blanket for them to wrap the baby in. All he could see right now, all he cared about were the two precious, precious people right there in his arms.

Surely there was no greater magic than this.


End file.
